


Prettier in the Dark

by bagelistrying



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Catra (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, Catra is Force Captain, Catra is in Love with Adora (She-Ra), Dialogue Heavy, Double Trouble is Being Nice, Double Trouble is a Dramatic Bitch, During Canon, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff, Power Outage, Shapeshifting, Short & Sweet, The power outage was definitely Entrapta’s fault, Wordcount: 100-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:55:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26517064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bagelistrying/pseuds/bagelistrying
Summary: There’s a power outage in the Fright Zone, leaving Catra more alone than she’s ever felt. Double Trouble arrives to mess with her, but immediately noticed something wrong.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 55





	Prettier in the Dark

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Reminiscing](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26189392) by [yarnsky4](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yarnsky4/pseuds/yarnsky4). 



> Hi! This piece was inspired by yarnsky4’s work ‘Reminiscing’ and I wanted to show the other side of it. It takes place at a different time, but it has a lot of parallels so go read that (yarnsky actually got me into she ra so thank youu) I’m just gonna call Double Trouble ‘Double’ in this one cause it’s easier to type and flows better. I’m sure they have a whole list of dramatic nicknames for themselves, but this one was easiest.

“Catra.” The force captain was sitting against a storage crate, one arm around her knees as she traced circles with her nails on the floor. The shadows hid her face, a sliver of a lime glow the only light around her. 

If she had looked up, she would have seen a rebel soldier, blonde hair slipping out of a ponytail, sword at her side. But she didn’t.

Double frowned. Their usual trick on the cat hadn’t worked. They shifted back to their normal appearance, walking slowly over to her.

“Hey, kitten, what’s the deal?” 

She just inhaled, drawing her hand back. “I don’t know. Why are you here?”

“Darling, the power’s out. I can’t go out and bother the rebels, so I figured you were the next best target.”

“Whatever.”

“Catra, this is so unlike you. Even I’m surprised.” They leaned over, trying to get a glimpse at her expression.

“Oh, hold on. I know what’s going on.” They sank down next to Catra, crossing one leg over the other. “This is about Adora, isn’t it?”

“No, that’s...” as she trailed off, Double grinned.

“I’ve seen the way you fight her.” They held up a hand in front of them.  


“So full of emotion, and rarely do either of you truly win. It mostly ends with one or both of you retreating to the wings in tears to mope around for the rest of the week. Every time. Think about it, kitten.” Catra just sighed again, nodding a strand of hair out of her face as Double continued, “Don’t think I haven’t got you figured out.”

“Well, maybe you haven’t, because it’s way more complicated than that.” Catra retorted. “There’s nothing left I can do about Adora, and I don’t even care anymore. She’s so arrogant and thinks the ‘powerful of friendship’ can solve everything.” Catra said mockingly, holding up air quotes.

“If there’s anything I’ve learned from this whole ordeal,” she continued, “-it’s that there are problems that nobody can solve. Then you just deal with it and move on, even if... even if it hurts. What do you always say? The show must go on?”

Double sighed. “You got the quote right, kitten, but you’re gonna have to face her sometime, aren’t you? There’s no use in waiting for-“

“But I haven’t been waiting!” Catra stared up at the dark ceiling watching the silhouettes of girders above them, exhausted. “We get closer to Bright Moon every day, Entrapta’s on our side, and the princesses argue with each other constantly. I’ve been a great force captain!”

“I don’t doubt that.” Their gaze drifted back down from the cat, poking at the screws in the floor. “But... after all that, have you been a good friend?”

“Really?” She stared at him, frustrated. “Don’t you start on that. There’s bigger problems than who Adora used to be, like five years ago. Adora doesn’t matter.”

Double didn’t have a response. The two sat in silence, listening to the clanking of machinery in the next room, and the echoing footsteps of recruits below them. It would probably be another half hour until someone got Entrapta to fix the power grid. Or maybe she was the one who caused the outage in the first place, that was equally likely.

“She is pretty.” Double said quietly.

Catra paused for a moment, then suddenly stood up, brushing herself off. “Maybe you should go.” She said, irked. “Don’t you have work to do? Money to make, or something? Just... go away, okay?” 

“And why would I do that?” They asked, glancing at their nails.

“It doesn’t matter why.” Catra felt her nails digging into her palms. “That’s just the way it is. It’s best if you leave, like-“ her next breath shuddered as she spoke. “-like everyone else did, okay?” 

Double waited patiently until she had finished. “You know you’re pretty, too.”

Catra froze, her expression softening. She clearly didn’t want to reply, but she leaned an elbow onto the crate, quietly asking. “You think so?”

“Pretty enough for Adora, that’s for sure.” They stood up, smiling. “Me, I’ve got higher standards.” They leaned forward and playfully booped Catra on the nose before striding off down the hall.

“See ya ‘round, kitten.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I love both these characters and wanted a more sincere conversation between them that didn’t involve Double leaving Catra to die. Also Double calling Catra kitten is just gold to me don’t know why


End file.
